TLC
by LaylaBinx
Summary: Just a simple, fluffy story about Marcus giving Esca a massage. Light slash, nothing too extreme :D


**Hello all! God, I haven't gotten a chance to write anything in nearly two months! Gah! Anyway, this a response to one of the prompts on the Eagle kink meme. Hope you all like it! :D Also, if there's typos, I sincerely apologize; the computer program I was typing in didn't have spell check O.O**

**I own nothing =/**

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The silence had been the hardest thing to get used to at first. When he'd been training to be a soldier, there was always sound; whether it came from drills being run or formations, there was always something to fill the void. His uncle's villa was always filled with the sounds of the slaves moving about and attending to the tasks appointed to them. Even when they were searching for the Eagle the forest was filled with the sounds of wildlife: birds, rabbits, nocturnal creatures that hid in the darkness. No place had ever been completely silent until now.

It was late evening, the sun casting long, golden rays over the edges of the hills as it fell behind them. There were clouds overhead and to the north, probably looming with the promise of rain, but it wouldn't happen for several hours. They were still too small and thin to produce anything yet. A warm wind pranced across the plain, caressing their fields and causing the grass to swirl in little spiral patterns. It was warm for this time of year, the sun shining bright and hot during the day and leaving the nights only slightly cooler when it set for the evening. Hopefully the warm weather would bring about a good harvest.

There was hardly any sound other than the crackling of the fire in the hearth. The logs popped and sizzled with the heat, making up for the lack of conversation between the occupants of the small house. To an observer, especially a Roman observer, the house wasn't much more than a shack, held together with clay and wood that had been taken from the forests nearby. It was a far cry from the more modern, "civilized" structures in the cities but it stayed warm in the winter and the roof didn't leak and that's all they could really ask for.

Marcus sat quietly, staring into the fire and letting his mind drift. His body ached from the labor they'd put in that day, the muscles in his leg cramping and twitching rythmically. It had gotten better in the years since his injury but the mucles were still angry and ruined and liked to remind him of that fact occasionally. They had been working in the fields since before sunrise and had stayed out until nearly sunset, tending to the crops and preparing the surrounding fields for a new bout of planting that would come in about a month. It was long, back-breaking work but Marcus was glad for it. It felt good to work for something and see the fruits of that labor.

Esca sat in front of him, absently stoking the fire and making sure their dinner didn't burn. He'd stripped his shirt off earlier, the afternoon heat causing the cloth to stick to his skin uncomfortably. It was probably still out in one of the fields.

Marcus found himself watching the younger man, taking in every aspect of his form in the flickering light of the fire. The shadows outlined the curves of his muscles, the dips and slopes that made up his body. It was mesmerizing in a way; Marcus thought he would have gotten over the staring by now. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but Esca still did almost twice as much work as he did. It was still due to his leg that Marcus sometimes had to stop in the middle of the field and let a cramp work itself out or wait for the incessent twitching to cease. During these times, Esca always took up the extra slack, pushing himself harder to make sure everything got done. He could work longer, lift more, and push himself a bit harder than Marcus could because there was nothing hindering him. Marcus hated it but Esca never seemed to mind; he certainly never said anything about it.

He was still the smaller of the two, his body composed of nothing but long, lean muscle, but he was every bit as strong as Marcus. They had been out here for nearly two years now and while Marcus certainly didn't think he'd lost any of his previous strength, he knew he was no longer the toughened soldier he had been when they went to search for the Eagle. This was a different kind of strength, a worker's strength, and he was almost completely adjusted to the change. Esca didn't seem to need to adjust at all.

Marcus found himself staring again, his eyes tracing the corded muscles in the smaller man's back and shoulders. The muscles were knotted and solid, coiled tightly beneath tan skin, and Marcus suddenly had the overwhelming urge to touch him. "Esca." He said quietly though his voice sounded incredibly loud in the silence of their house.

The blond turned, his grey-green eyes meeting the Roman's and Marcus felt his breath catch just slightly. Like the staring, he thought he would have gotten over that instinctual reaction every time Esca looked at him. It was a tough habit to break. Instead, he smiled and gestured the younger man to come forward. "Come here."

Esca hesitated for a second, eyeing him carefully. No matter how long they had been together, no matter how much they had been through, there was still a wariness that he hadn't been able to shake himself out of. He stood, slowly and stiffly, and walked over to where Marcus was sitting, crouching down in front of him. "What is it?"

Marcus said nothing and simply placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him around so he was sitting down in front of him. He put his other hand on the other shoulder, his hands resting over the knotted muscles and squeezing gently. He dug his thumbs into the center of each muscle, rotating them in long, slow circles and releasing the tension built up within. Esca made a noise somewhere between a groan and a gasp as a particularly large knot began to release itself under Marcus's fingers. The older man just smiled.

He worked his hands lower, pressing firmly into the corded muscles of Esca's shoulders and back, taking careful consideration in each area and working slowly. His fingers brushed over the long thin scars that lined Esca's back, a reminder of his time as a slave. It still angered Marcus to think about someone whipping Esca but it also made him proud, it meant that Esca had fought back. He ran his fingers over the marks, the scar tissue rolling under his fingers along with the muscles.

Esca was leaning heavily into him now, so much in fact that Marcus was pretty sure if he wasn't sitting there, the smaller man would be sprawled out on the floor. He worked his way back up, returning to the muscles he'd just worked on and continuing his ministrations. The fire popped irritably in the hearth but neither paid any attention.

Marcus moved his hands up to the back of his neck, squeezing gently and feeling the muscles slowly but surely release themselves beneath his fingers. Esca's breathing was slow and deep and if he didn't know any better he would have assumed the younger man had fallen asleep.

"The rabbit is going to burn." Esca muttered lazily, his words thick and heavy as he spoke.

Marcus smiled. "Then at least we'll know its completely cooked." He removed his hands from Esca's neck and began carding his fingers through the thick, blond curls resting against his knee.

"Fine. Just don't complain when the meat is charred." There was probably supposed to be more bite in that comment but it fell uselessly. They sat in companionable silence for a while, staring into the fire and listening to the wind brush against the outside of the house.

Marcus continued to rake his fingers through Esca's hair, his fingernails gently scraping across his scalp. Esca leaned further back, his head resting against Marcus's good leg, and simply enjoying the attention. Tender moments like this were rare and he was happy to savor it while it lasted. Something bothered him though.

"Why are you petting me? I'm not a dog." He said, a tiny bit indignantly.

Marcus chuckled softly, an affectionate smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I never said you were." He said, leaning forward and dropping a kiss onto the younger man's head. Silence filled the house again and Marcous found that he was happy with it.

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**Mmmmm fluff =p**


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